An APO workshop on the Development of Rural Economies through Smart Villages took place in Jakarta from August 27 to 30. Hosted by the Ministry of Village, Development of Disadvantaged Region, and Transmigration along with the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia, it promoted the APO Vision 2025 by examining how to leverage digital technologies and business innovations to enhance productivity, efficiency, sustainability, and quality of life in rural communities.

The workshop brought together 25 participants from 15 APO members. They engaged in in-depth discussions of case studies on promoting the smart village concept, focusing on policies, frameworks, technologies, and critical success factors. Resource persons, two each from India and Indonesia and one each from the ROK and Thailand shared valuable insights, enriching participants’ understanding and equipping them with practical strategies for implementing smart villages in their own contexts.

Key achievements included enhanced knowledge sharing and strengthened collaborations among APO members, laying the groundwork for future initiatives to support rural transformation across the Asia-Pacific region.